Sources of Health Insurance
and Characteristics of the Uninsured

Mid-Atlantic States, 1997

New York

 The percentage of New York's nonelderly population
(under age 65) without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 20.0
percent. This was higher than the national rate, 18.3 percent.
New York's nonelderly population also had a lower rate of private
coverage, 65.4 percent, than the national rate, 70.9 percent.

 Children living in New Yorkinfants through age
17had a lower rate of employment-based health insurance
coverage, 55.2 percent, than the national rate, 59.7 percent. The
uninsured rate for children in New York, 15.5 percent, was also
higher than the national rate, 15.0 percent.

 Children living in families with incomes just above the
federal poverty level100 percent to 149 percent of
povertywere the most likely to be uninsured, 35.5 percent,
and children in families with incomes at 400 percent or more of
the federal poverty level were least likely to be uninsured, 6.0
percent.

 New York workers had a slightly lower rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 70.6 percent, than
the national rate, 72.2 percent. Also, 53.7 percent of New York
workers had employment-based health insurance coverage in their
own name (meaning they were the primary beneficiaries), compared
with 55.0 percent for the nation.

 Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to
provide coverage: 70.3 percent of New York workers in firms with
1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name, compared
with 25.9 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10
employees.

 Among New York workers, the most likely to have
employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in
government, 71.8 percent, and in finance, insurance, and real
estate, 70.6 percent. Government workers had the lowest uninsured
rate in the state, 9.4 percent, followed by finance, insurance,
and real estate workers, 9.7 percent. Workers in
agriculture/mining and in construction had the highest uninsured
rates in the state, 49.2 percent and 36.4 percent, respectively.

New Jersey

 The percentage of New Jersey's nonelderly population
without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 18.4 percent. This
was slightly higher than the national rate, 18.3 percent. New
Jersey's nonelderly population also had a higher rate of private
coverage, 74.6 percent, than the national rate, 70.9 percent.

 Children living in New Jerseyinfants through age
17had a higher rate of employment-based health insurance
coverage, 66.7 percent, than the national rate, 59.7 percent. The
uninsured rate for children in New Jersey, 15.1 percent, was also
slightly higher than the national rate, 15.0 percent.

 Children in families with incomes just above the
federal poverty level100 percent to 149 percent of
povertywere most likely to be uninsured, 30.0 percent, and
children in families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the
federal poverty level were least likely to be uninsured, less
than 7.0 percent.

 New Jersey workers had a higher rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 75.5 percent, than
the national rate, 72.2 percent. Also, 56.7 percent of New Jersey
workers had employment-based health insurance coverage in their
own name (meaning they were the primary beneficiaries), compared
with 55.0 percent for the nation.

 Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to
provide coverage: 70.6 percent of New Jersey workers in firms
with 1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name,
compared with 31.2 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10
employees.

 Among New Jersey workers, the most likely to have
employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in
government, 76.1 percent, and in transportation, communications,
and utilities, 75.1 percent. Workers in government had the lowest
uninsured rate in the state, 8.2 percent, followed by those in
finance, insurance, and real estate, 9.8 percent. Workers in
agriculture/mining and in construction had the highest uninsured
rates in the state at 48.7 percent and 28.3 percent,
respectively.

Pennsylvania

 The percentage of Pennsylvania's nonelderly population
(under age 65) without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 11.7
percent. This was lower than the national rate, 18.3 percent.
Pennsylvania's nonelderly population also had a higher rate of
private coverage, 78.6 percent, than the national rate, 70.9
percent.

 Children living in Pennsylvaniainfants through
age 17had a higher rate of employment-based health
insurance coverage, 69.2 percent, than the national rate, 59.7
percent. The uninsured rate for children in Pennsylvania, 8.2
percent, was below the national rate, 15.0 percent.

 Children living in families with incomes below the
federal poverty level were the most likely to be uninsured, 15.7
percent, and children in families with incomes at 400 percent or
more of the federal poverty level were least likely to be
uninsured, 3.5 percent.

 Pennsylvania workers had a higher rate of
employment-based health insurance coverage, 80.1 percent, than
the national rate, 72.2 percent. Only Wisconsin had a higher rate
of employment-based coverage for workers at 83.7 percent. Also,
60.0 percent of Pennsylvania workers had employment-based health
insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were the
primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.0 percent for the
nation.

 Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to
provide coverage: 70.1 percent of Pennsylvania workers in firms
with 1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name,
compared with 29.8 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10
employees.

 Among Pennsylvania workers, the most likely to have
employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in
manufacturing, 80.1 percent, and government, 73.5 percent.
Manufacturing workers had the lowest uninsured rate in the state,
6.4 percent, followed by workers in government at 6.5 percent.
Workers in agriculture/mining and those who were self-employed
had the highest uninsured rates in the state at 27.9 per-cent and
24.6 percent, respectively.